Saving Detroit From Itself

A federal bailout would only reinforce the city's corrupt political culture.

Updated July 26, 2013 6:19 p.m. ET

The AFL-CIO and its friends are mourning Detroit as a victim of capitalism, claiming the government has a moral obligation to rescue the bankrupt city. This is a nice political fable, but the hard truth is that Motown is a victim of its own political vices and a bailout would merely forestall the necessary rehab.

One myth is that Detroit is a victim of the U.S. auto industry. But the city's breakdown preceded the decline of GM, Ford and Chrysler and has continued despite their resurgence. American car makers have been...